SUBJECT: CONSENT
Title
A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Erie Approving an Expenditure of up to $176,980 to Fully Restore and Monitor 8 Acres of Vegetation Surrounding the Erie Parkway Bridge
Body
DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
PRESENTER: Patrick Hammer, Director of Parks and Recreation
TIME ESTIMATE:
only required for non-consent items
FISCAL SUMMARY:
Cost as Recommended: $176,980
Balance Available: $70,440.07
Budget Line Item Number: 300-70-110-605000-100216
New Appropriation Required: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve the expenditure of up to $176,980 to fully restore and monitor 8 acres of vegetation surrounding the Erie Parkway Bridge.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Town successfully constructed and opened the Erie Parkway Bridge to the public in October 2019. Due to the size and scope of the project, a significant amount of native plant material along Coal Creek was removed or disturbed during construction. The original construction contract called for impacted areas to be revegetated, which is necessary for erosion control and bank stabilization, as well as restoring esthetics.
In the year since completing the bridge, some pockets of vegetation are beginning to reestablish. Unfortunately, others areas remain barren or are covered in invasive/noxious weeds. The lack of growth is due largely to drought conditions during the establishment period, adjacent construction projects and the additional foot and vehicle traffic now accessing the disc golf course. These factors occurred outside the control and responsibility of the original contract scope.
Staff recommends these areas be fully restored to a standard befitting the high visibility and central location of the bridge. To achieve this outcome, staff asks the Board to approve spending $176,980 to fully restore and monitor 8 acres of vegetation surrounding the bridge. If approved, staff will direct H2 Enterprises, the Town’s on-call Open Space and Natural Areas Restoration contractor, to begin work. Soil conditioning and seeding will begin this month and progress will be monitored until the plant material is established.
H2 Enterprises was selected in 2020 through a competitive bid process to be the Town’s on-call contractor for establishing, restoring and monitoring native vegetation growth in Town. H2 is a local company specializing in land reclamation, soils science and environmental services. H2 works under staff’s direction to manage over 1,500 acres of park, agricultural and open space land. The Town has a successful track record of using highly specialized contractors to provide complex and unpredictable on-call services. This contract method gives the staff the reassurance and accountability that our projects and tasks are completed to the highest standard possible without the need to hire several specialized positions in-house to conduct the same work.
Board Priority(s) Addressed:
ü Attractive Community Amenities
ü Well-Maintained Transportation Infrastructure
ü Environmentally Sustainable
ü Fiscally Responsible
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Revegetation Site Maps